When it comes to river cruising there are many things to keep in mind:
- Where to go?
- What to see?
- Which cruise line to choose?
- Which excursions to pick?
I’d like to focus on 2 of the most popular river cruise companies I have been working with – Viking Cruises and AmaWaterways.
They both have their unique aspects so let’s compare.
Viking stands at the top of the river cruise industry when it comes to fleet size with 55 Longships while AmaWaterways offers 25 ships.
Both are popular river cruise lines with luxurious river cruise experiences and include at least one shore excursion in every port you visit. AmaWaterways offers more active time while in port and Viking Cruise has plenty of off the beaten path options.
Both lines sail on the Danube, Rhine, Moselle, Main, Rhone, Seine, Garonne, Elbe, Dordogne and Douro in Europe, and both offer Christmas market cruises. Both lines sail the Nile and Mekong in Vietnam and Cambodia while AmaWaterways also sails the Chobe River in Africa.
Cabins for both feature similar amenities, with things like mini-fridges stocked with water (replenished daily) umbrellas, robes and veranda blankets for use during your cruise, in-room Wi-Fi and interactive TVs with free on-demand programming.
When it comes to on board demographics, AmaWaterways would be the better option for travelers with children while Viking is preferred for adults only vacations.
A few specialty river cruises I’d like to highlight:
‘Grand European Tour’ with Viking Cruises which travels from March – November.
‘Celebration of Beer’ on AmaWaterways which travels in November 2025.
Europe Shines Brighter During the Christmas Season. The holiday season begins from the middle of November and continues through the New Year.
Viking Cruises offers Christmas Market Voyages and their holiday itineraries can be found here – Christmas Markets | Viking®
AmaWaterways offers Festive Delights sailings or Christmas Markets cruises and their holiday itineraries can be found here – River Cruises | AmaWaterways® River Cruise Line
Christmas is a magical time indeed and what better way to experience it. It’s a perfect time to plan that river cruise adventure.
| Adventure Awaits |
